Aitchison College Staff Protests Principal Thompson’s Resignation

The faculty and staff of Aitchison College are planning to protest outside the Governor House, Punjab, seeking the reversal of Michael A. Thompson’s resignation as principal. Thompson resigned due to disputes with Punjab Governor Balighur Rehman over alleged interference in the college’s affairs.

Thompson cited biased actions by the Governor House as the reason for his resignation, stating that they constituted unwarranted interference and blatant directives. One such directive was to waive tuition fees for the sons of Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema.

In a letter sent to the college staff, Thompson expressed disappointment over the governance issues and emphasized the importance of keeping politics and nepotism out of schools. He announced his departure on April 1 and declared that he would not participate in managing upcoming admissions.

This is not the first time Thompson has faced pressure related to admissions. In 2018, he allegedly resigned under political pressure to take disciplinary action against certain students. He rescinded his resignation after interventions by then-Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar and the provincial education minister.

Previously, Thompson’s visa was revoked, purportedly because he denied admission to a student from an influential family. Despite his job contract having over a year left, his visa was extended for only three months.

Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema refuted allegations that the governor’s order was issued specifically for him, stating it was a general policy. He claimed that Thompson had approached him directly regarding his children’s admission, which Cheema declined, preferring not to escalate the issue.

The minister asserted that the principal’s allegations could be verified by individuals approached with the offer.

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